I grew up in Brooklyn in a neighborhood called Old Mill Basin. Mill Basin is a fairly quiet neighborhood where very little ever happens. It is not small enough for everyone to know everyone else’s business but not big enough to never see the same person twice. It is near the Belt Parkway so you’re lucky if you have a car, but there are no trains in Mill Basin, which makes travelling within the city a pain. I don’t actually hate Mill Basin; I just feel like there’s never anything to do there except go to the mall. In fact, when people ask me where I come from, I always have to elaborate my answer by saying, “It’s by Kings Plaza Mall.” I suppose there are many small things to do in Mill Basin, like go to the park or dancing school, but nothing of great significance.  This is how I feel about myself most days. I can do most things I like fairly well, but not amazingly or uniquely. I’ve always wanted to be a performer, but I’m extremely shy and not even that good at singing or dancing. The only things most people know me for are superficial; like that I’m obsessed with One Tree Hill and Britney Spears. This reminds me of Mill Basin because the only thing people know about this neighborhood is the mall. This difficulty of getting to Manhattan from this neighborhood reminds me of how hard I would have to work to achieve my dreams. Mill Basin is a nice place, but after awhile you just want to get out and do more with your life. It reminds me of who I am now and who I would really like to be. Although I don’t particularly like that I identify with such a boring place, I appreciate that it gives me a little motivation to change.